Tesla Q3 preview: All eyes are on robotaxis and AI updates as investors head toward earnings (www.businessinsider.com)

Tesla’s Q3 earnings, due Wednesday after the close, are being parsed more for AI and robotics clues than for routine delivery numbers. After a turbulent 2025—stocks plunged as much as 47% early in the year then rallied ~100%—investors and analysts want concrete updates on Robotaxi rollout (Texas and California), progress on Full Self‑Driving (FSD) and AI integration, production ramp of the low‑cost Model 3/Y, and the Optimus humanoid robot. Street watchers flag the potential scale: Wedbush’s Dan Ives pegs the autonomous opportunity at roughly $1 trillion to Tesla’s valuation, while RBC says Optimus’ total addressable market could be ~$9 trillion. Goldman expects about 475,000 vehicle deliveries this quarter, and consensus commentary from firms (price targets range from $355 to $600) shows wide disagreement on how much of Tesla’s price already prices in AI upside. For the AI/ML community, the report matters because Tesla is treating vehicles as edge AI platforms and Robotaxi/FSD/Optimus milestones would accelerate real‑world data collection, model refinement, and monetization pathways for autonomy and robotics. Key technical implications include timelines for wider FSD adoption (especially in China/Europe), production feasibility for robot hardware and low‑cost EV platforms, and whether Tesla’s AI stack and safety validation can scale to commercial Robotaxi operations—answers that will shape expectations for both investment and research priorities.